ANQA trains staff members from 20 VET institutions scheduled to undergo state-funded institutional accreditation this current year. The trained specialists will be included in the groups responsible for the preparation of self-evaluation to analyse their institutions’ performance against ten accreditation criteria.
At the beginning of the course, the VET institutions’ employees had a discussion with ANQA’s Director Ruben Topchyan. The focus was on the role of accreditation in relation to achieving the VET institutions’ goals.
It was emphasised that during the self-evaluation process, the VET institutions should:
- show the interdependence and cause-and-effect relationship of the changes and processes underway;
- introduce the impact of changes on students and their role in achieving the VET institutions’ goals;
- demonstrate strategic management and data-based decision-making;
- analyse their activities in the context of VET institution-employer cooperation;
- present their best practices and ways for their attainment.
It was highlighted that before drafting the self-evaluation, VET institutions should identify their strengths and areas for enhancement required for each criterion, then proceed with an evaluation accordingly.
Within the scope of the three-day course, ANQA’s specialists will introduce the course participants to the stages and procedures of the accreditation process, the accreditation criteria and standards, the peculiarities of conducting self-evaluation and the principles for evaluating the VET institutions’ activities. Reference will also be made to the implementation of the SWOT analysis and institutional accreditation questionnaire.
Next on, ANQA will conduct expert training courses for the employees and students from the 20 VET institutions undergoing accreditation, aiming to include them in the expert panel and subsequently in the accreditation processes.